Memento Mori
by Zoni
Summary: The contract has ended and Sebastian has earned his meal. However, when he tries to devour Ciel's soul he finds that something older and more sinister than himself has already laid claim to the boy. Sebastian/Ciel
1. Chapter One

**Memento Mori**  
><em>Chapter One<em>  
>by Zoni<p>

The sound of a ticking clock echoed through the office of the Phantomhive mansion. That singular noise was the only thing that Ciel could hear as he sat in the chair behind his desk. He stared at the papers in front of him. The desk was in a state of disarray. His business was nearly concluded. Several envelopes had already been filled and sealed. They sat in a haphazard pile off to one side, safe from the chaos that covered the rest of the surface. A number of business documents had been signed and stacked in the far corner. For the moment, the piece of paper sitting directly in front of him held Ciel's attention completely. The ink was not yet dry. This was the last of his personal business to which he needed to attend. Time was running out. After all, twenty-three hours and forty-eight minutes had now passed since the contract had been completed.

Revenge. A simplistic concept, and yet it had taken years to achieve. The previous morning, barely after the sun had started to rise, Ciel's highest ambition had finally been realized. The last of the people who had burned the Phantomhive manor, murdered his parents and sullied him in both body and soul had been killed.

The actual act had not been as exciting or dramatic as he might have imagined. To the contrary, the end had been dull and cheap. The perpetrator had been a senile old man. He had used a walking stick, limping weakly. Disability and weakness had brought no sympathy from Ciel. A single down-stroke of Sebastian's hand was all that it had taken to complete their contract. Ciel's personal justice had been dealt. His soul was no longer his own.

Compassion and care were not required of demons. And yet, Sebastian had given him a day in which to get his affair in order. Ciel had not slept in the time that he had been allowed. Instead, he had taken care of his responsibilities. Even though he had known that this day was coming, he felt the need to look over the preparations he had already set down. Each of the servants would be given a generous bonus check, as their employment was coming to an abrupt end. Funtom company would be left in capable hands; he had given the keeping of it over to Tanaka. Even Lizzy had been accounted for. A generous sum had been set aside to assure her comfort in her future life.

For Ciel, these preparations were not a sad matter. These were details that he had considered long ago. When the contract with Sebastian had been struck, he had no illusions about what would happen. He was never careless or forgetful, and yet he had left several details unfinished. His only regret was that he had not attended to the final paperwork months beforehand.

A soft knock at the door interrupted the silence. Ciel did not even look up from the paper. "Enter."

The wooden door opened slowly and admitted Sebastian. Behind him, the barrier slid shut once more as the butler stepped forward and moved to stand beside the desk. "The time has nearly arrived, young master."

"I know." Ciel's voice was flat as he reviewed the words in front of him one last time. Quietly, he asked, "Where are the other servants?"

"They have already left for the day," Sebastian replied. "I have given them a small bonus and the day off. I believe that they chose to go into town. Mr. Tanaka has gone with them."

"Very good. That should make things easier." Ciel tensed, adjusting his hold on the paper in his hand. The ink had dried, leaving behind crisp words. He held the sheet towards Sebastian. The butler leaned forward and took the paper between gloved fingers, studying the contents even as his master explained. "These are my final orders as your master under our contract. You will carry them out even after I am gone. Is that understood?"

"Yes, my lord." Sebastian bowed deeply, a last gesture of respect in response to the finality of the words. After reading the paper once more, he folded it neatly and tucked the paper into a pocket. Looking down at the boy sitting behind the desk, he asked, "Are you ready, young master?"

With a curt nod, Ciel slipped out of his chair and stood. Quietly and without comment, he followed Sebastian as the butler led the way out of the office and down the hall. The house stood eerily silent around them. With all of the servants gone, the only sounds in the air were those of their shoes hitting the well-polished floors.

In his studies, Ciel had read that the condemned often felt a heavy weight about their shoulders when they rode towards their execution in their carts. There was a weight on his shoulders, but the sensation was one for which he could not account. He was not condemned. Damned, perhaps, but he had chosen his fate. That thought did not bother him.

Changing his focus, Ciel watched the smooth, even steps of the tall figure in front of him. Sebastian was not a man. His appearance was the truest deception, hiding his demonic nature. The fact that Ciel knew that particular piece of information was secretly pleasing, though Sebastian had occasionally been a little too careless with keeping that fact secret. Another amusement for the butler who needed to be kept constantly entertained, it sometimes seemed.

Sebastian was leading him to his death. Since the very day that the contract had been struck, every moment after had been nothing but a count down to this moment. These last few moments were given over to the same thing that had dominated his life since the fire: duty. Whether it was his service to the Queen, his duty to his family name, or his rights and responsibilities as an earl, his life had never been his own. All of these things were mimicked in the faithful service that Sebastian had provided for him for the past three years. The fact that this unpleasant eventuality was the end of that service mattered little.

Ciel had come to respect and trust Sebastian. Trust was not something that came easily or freely to him. It was something that had been earned. As he followed the butler down the corridors leading towards the back patio, Ciel was not afraid. He felt a strange sense of appreciation and resignation. This was duty for both he and Sebastian. He knew that his would be the last time that they walked through the halls of his mansion as master and servant.

Outside, a heavy fog hung in the chilled air. It painted a white veil over the carefully landscaped garden that surrounded the back of the house. The patio was barely visible through the haze. Even in the early morning hours, Ciel could see that his sterling silver roses stood in full bloom. This early in the year and day, they should never have blossomed. The surreality of the situation only seemed to double; the heavy flowers looked unearthly and beautiful, a fitting party to see him off. Sebastian had suggested the garden. Now, Ciel felt that it was appropriate.

The pretty, well-trimmed plants that lined the patio trailed away into a wild tangle of flowering bushes that led away from the house. Following the quaint brick pathway deeper into the garden, Sebastian led the way to the only part of the estate that had not been rebuilt after the fire; a bench nestled beneath a rose trellis. All of this was on a decorative circle of stone; the ruins of a chapel that had once stood on the property, when its residents had needed such a refuge.

Sebastian paused as they entered the circle. Ciel could feel the demons eyes on him as he stepped forward and took a seat on the worn bench. Once seated, Ciel looked up at him expectantly. For a long moment, neither spoke as they both contemplated the twisting path that had brought them to this finality.

Finding his voice, Ciel asked, "Will you stay with the house until the funeral?"

"My young master does not need to ask such things," Sebastian murmured. The neutral expression on his face melted into a soft smile. "After all, you have included that as part of your final orders. You only need to ask once and I will see it through."

"How will you explain the fact that I have suddenly died?"

The question itself was almost rhetorical. Ciel did not know whether or not he wished to hear the answer, but something had driven him to ask. With the eye that was uncovered by the patch, he studied Sebastian's face as the demon formulated a response.

"Sudden illness, more than likely. That will probably be the easiest with consideration to your delicate constitution. It is also the usual explanation when my kind is at fault." Sebastian's smile widened. "Though, if you would prefer, I could concoct something more elaborate. Drowning, perhaps, or choking on your lunch. Your manners _are_ somewhat lacking at times, young master."

Ciel shot Sebastian a glare, not nearly as strong as his usual. "No, illness will be fine. I was simply curious."

"As you wish."

"Sebastian?"

"Yes, young master?"

"Will it hurt?"

Silence fell between them once more. Though they were outdoors and the morning was young, no birds cried out from the trees. The entire world was as still as glass.

After a moment, Sebastian replied, "Yes. There will be pain. However, pain - much like the soul - is a small thing. Both of these things fade and are forgotten with time."

Stepping forward, Sebastian paced toward where his master sat on the bench. As he covered the short distance, he tugged the gloves off hiss hands and let them fall silently to the ground, where they sat ignored.

Standing in front of his master, Sebastian reached up and tugged at the strings of the eye patch. The triangle of black cloth fell freely from Ciel's face, landing in his lap. Sebastian's long fingers ran through the silken slate strands of his masters hair, memorizing the feeling of the softness there.

Slowly, the black-tipped fingers drifted down to Ciel's face. The soft smile on Sebastian's own widened once more as he looked with satisfaction at the seal on his hand next to the one in his master's eye. The sight of both marks together was pleasing to him, a momentary delight. He let his right hand trace the gentle curve of the boy's cheek, the line of his nose and softness of his lips. Every feature on his youthful face was memorized, touched and observed.

Ciel looked up at Sebastian, unafraid. The expression on his butler's face was something that he had only seen once or twice before. Even then, those few moments had occurred only when he had been ill or severely injured. It was not affection, really, but something closer to fondness. He could not think of a word to describe the look accurately. He knew only that it was disturbingly similar to the way that he had seen Sebastian look at cats.

That impression was only reinforced by the way that Sebastian's hands drifted across Ciel's face. Touches like that did not bother the young earl. He was used to Sebastian's hands after the past few years of service, and Sebastian had touched his face more than once before. However, Ciel had never seen the intensity in the man's expression that it currently carried. This was different. He wondered if the demon was even actually looking at him.

This was a ritual that Sebastian had completed countless times in the past. Everything that had happened since they had left the house had been a measure of pure self-indulgence. The past three years of his service had been dedicated entirely to his master. Now, in this garden, everything that Sebastian did was for himself.

"Young master," he murmured, his eyes glowing an unearthly shade of red. Very slowly, he leaned down and pressed his lips to his master's.

Ciel's eyes widened as he realized that Sebastian was kissing him. The demon's lips molded to his own. One slender hand reached up to hold his chin as Sebastian tilted his head, finding a better angle from which to taste him. Ciel could feel the wet heat of the man's tongue on his bottom lip. Not expecting that sensation, Ciel gasped. At the sound, Sebastian pulled back. Ciel stared into his eyes for only a moment. Then, Sebastian leaned down once again and recaptured Ciel's lips.

With that single touch, Ciel's entire world exploded into hellfire. Every nerve in his body burned with unbelievable pain. There was nothing but darkness and smoke in the personal hell that consumed him. All that he was conscious of were the flames licking at his skin, his bones and his heart. He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came from his lips. Instead, the fire flew into his mouth and burned him from the inside out. Everything in him turned to ask. He was blind, even darkness had no meaning. The sharp smell of brimstone twisted in and out of his fading consciousness even though he felt more alert and aware than he had ever been in his life. A thousand knives were being run through his body, and he could feel and count each distinct blade.

The fire around him burned higher and hotter until he realized that all of it came from a single point. The molten heat poured from one point on his body; the twisted brand on his back. The moment that realization struck, the flames began to subside. They retreated to the evil mark on his skin. The brand was raw and oozing as if it were fresh. It burned. However, it did not hold him captive like the flames that he had been in before.

Slowly, the world came back into focus. Ciel became aware of his surroundings. Even the fire of the mark on his back chilled as the cool morning air rushed into his lungs when he breathed. He was still in his garden. Not even a moment had passed since Sebastian had leaned down to take his soul.

Only a few inches above him, Sebastian's face regarded him with a shocked look. Blood dripped from the demon's lips. A drop of red fell from his chin, hitting Ciel's hand. Ciel looked at it numbly and then lifted his fingers to his own lips. Looking at them, he could see that there were only traces of the blood on his own mouth. The blood was Sebastian's. Ciel felt weak.

"What happened?" Ciel asked, struggling to find the words.

The look of surprise melted off of Sebastian's face. He stood up straighter, retrieving a kerchief from one pocket and wiping the blood from his face and lips. When he was presentable, he turned and regarded the boy with a somber expression.

"Young master," Sebastian said, "it would appear that something else has laid claim to your soul."

_To be continued._

-*~*-  
><em>Author's Notes:<em> Apparently, my decision to rewrite Memento Mori has caused problems for quite a few people. I've gotten a lengthy string of letters, containing both praise and complaints, ever since I announced that I was going to do this for CampNaNo. So, I hope you'll forgive me if I take a few minutes to clear some things up.

First off, thank you to everyone who has told me what an impression this or any of my other stories have made on them. I love hearing that people enjoy my work, and it really makes my day when people are still coming back to the same stories years after they were originally written. Your support means the world to me!

Second, on the subject of my leaving the Kuroshitsuji fandom. The fandom itself was a major motivator. If you are deeply involved with a fandom, as I was with Kuroshitsuji, you open yourself up to criticism. That's true of any fandom, no matter what it might be. However, in the Kuroshitsuji community, the problem with the argumentative members was the fact that they were childish, petty, insulting and sometimes offensive or borderline dangerous. I had to contact law enforcement once, and I reported several people for extremely offensive things that were said or sent to me. That, my loves, is the Kuroshitsuji fandom when you're really involved.

However, while the fandom may have been motivation, I left because I lost interest in Kuroshitsuji. The manga lost that special something that had previously made it so enjoyable. Yana Toboso turned into her own fangirl. I began to find a few things in the series rather offensive. I no longer wanted to read. I still have no desire to read, but I do have the desire to write a little more with Sebastian and Ciel. I have deeply missed writing our favorite master and demon, so I hope you'll forgive me this small trip down fandom memory lane as I work to complete Memento Mori properly.

Thanks, guys.


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

The chill of the room raised goosebumps on Ciel's skin. He sat shirtless on the edge of the master bed, watching with detached interest as Sebastian wound a length of muslin bandage around his chest. Even though the brand had been cleaned and covered, Ciel could still feel it burning on his back. Despite the quiet atmosphere, the air felt tense and expectant. The unexpected intervention that had occurred was something that neither master nor servant had foreseen.

In the silence of the room, Ciel's voice seemed to echo against the walls. "How is it that something like this could happen? That something else could claim my soul?"

The situation at hand presented both a problem and a mystery. Sebastian continued to work with the bandages, attentive even as he considered the question. When he responded, it was with a question rather than a statement. "Young master, do you remember the night that we first met?"

"Of course." The response was immediate. Ciel's eyes drifted to the brown, glass bottle of astringent that sat on his bedside. It glinted dimly with the light reflected off the scissors next to it. The air smelled bitter, tinged with medicine. "I would not forget."

"I wonder if you might be so kind as to tell me what happened," Sebastian murmured, "in the month or so before I arrived."

For a long moment, it seemed as though Ciel might not respond. He watched Sebastian as the butler continued to tighten and tie the lengths of fabric. His eyes drifted to stare at the floor as he finally began to speak. "I know that my parents were murdered, and that I was taken from the mansion.

"All that I remember from the fire was the smoke and the smell, how it covered everything. I found the bodies of my parents and the dog, but I did not realize that they were dead. I could not comprehend something like that. I went to find help. The help that I found was Tanaka. He warned me to stay out of the hall in which he stood, and then collapsed. I do not remember the more of the details or technicalities well enough to tell you how the attack was carried out, nor do I remember how I got from the mansion to where I was initially kept.

"When I woke up, I was in a cage. It was made of iron, I think, and it was in a stone room, probably a basement or cellar. There weren't any windows, but there was plenty of dampness and mold. The entire room stank of vomit and excrement. I could smell blood, too, but that might have been mine.

"I wasn't the only person being kept there. There were other children, probably in cages like mine. I couldn't see them because there was no light. Where someone would come down with a candle or lamp, all I could tell was that the other cages were covered with cloth.

"Those people with the lamps came several times a day. I was given food when they remembered. I was only there for a day or two. Though I have no idea how long they held me in total, I know that it could not have been more than a few days in that place. The visitors - nobles and the nouveau-riche - would pull aside the cloth that covered me and look me over. I was sold like so much meat at a market.

"I don't remember being moved. The second place that I was taken was similar to the first. It was dark and reeked of filth. I was kept in a cage once more, but this one was slightly larger. There were differences. In that second place, the rats were allowed to nibble at my feet in the night as I tried to sleep. There were no other children. The cage in which I was kept was left uncovered. Despite that, I could see nothing. There were no lamps or candles, and decidedly no windows.

"Once a day, someone would come in and give me bread or some thin soup. They would take out the small bowl that served as my toilet. That was the only time that I had a little light; whatever they brought to see by. For the most part, I was ignored. I learned quickly not to speak to my 'caretakers.' If I did, I was beaten. If the beating did not suffice, they had whips and salt to bring my silence.

"I had no idea where I was or why. I did not know what would happen to me. I might have been there a day or a week before the first of the men came. They used my body. Disgusting animals they were, no better than pigs. I can still hear them grunting as they rutted over me. When they were done, I might be left alone for a while. They didn't like it when I had fresh blood on me."

Cutting the last of the bandages, Sebastian watched his master with a dark expression. Ciel ran a tense hand through his own hair. Tension such as that was abnormal for the earl. While he would never state that the boy was uneasy, he was unsettled. That did not sit well with the butler.

The demon knew much of what had happened before the contract had been struck. They had discussed it before, though not in detail. Ciel had chosen to confide in him either out of necessity or desire, neither of which he would discuss further. Humans were strange creatures. They were always afraid of the truth. There was an inhuman quality, something unnatural, about the way that this child sat before him and talked so plainly of being raped. Whatever childhood Ciel Phantomhive might have had, it had been taken from him in the darkness of the rooms in which he had been kept. The evil things that had been done to him had driven him closer to summoning Sebastian, but they had no bearing on the thing that had laid claim to him even before Sebastian had arrived.

Sebastian placed a gloved hand over the much smaller one that Ciel rested on his own knee. Ciel looked at him, startled. Quietly, Sebastian asked, "Young master, what happened on the night that I first came to you?"

The strange expression on Ciel's face lingered for a moment longer as he collected his thoughts. He looked away from the demon once more.

"That day," he began, "there had been more people visiting the room in which I was kept. The same crowd came every once and a while; I had seen them several times before. They always came in and talked in hushed voices for a few moments before leaving. Before, they had never acknowledged my presence aside from commenting on my appearance."

"Your appearance?" Sebastian queried.

"They called me fair or lovely, as though I were a woman," Ciel said, disgust clear in his voice. He spat the words. "On that day, they stayed longer than usual. They said, though not to me, that I would have to be cleansed. Not... in a religious sense, but in the fact that I was filthy. By that time, I was covered in all manner of blood and refuse. I had been allowed only rudimentary bags with a damp rag, and even then only once or twice.

"After the crowd had left the room and their voices were long gone, two people entered with candles and pulled me from the cage. They unlocked a chain that held my foot to the metal floor. Once free, they pulled the rags that were left of my clothing from my body. I was given a bath, if it can be called that. The water was so cold that I could scarcely feel my skin and I had difficulty breathing. Despite the freezing water, they scrubbed my skin so hard that it was raw by the time that they had finished. The cloth of the towel they dried me with was as rough as tree bark. My skin burned from the sensation. I remember that, because they wrapped me in a sheet and I found the difference strange. The sheet was soft.

"When they had finished with their ministrations, they dragged me up and out of the cellar. I recall a flight of stone stairs. We came into a large room, lit all around with candles. There were people everywhere. Two dozen, perhaps more. It was a party, though the likes of which I hope never to see again. They all wore masks. Many wore cloaks or hats which obscured their faces and hair. They were laughing as the two people who had bathed me dragged me into the room and forced me to my knees beside a fireplace.

"The ritual began then. A man began to say a prayer over me, like a priest, except his words were neither English nor Latin. I could not tell what he was saying until he told me that he would give me the mark of 'The Beast.' I remember those two words because, as soon as he had spoken them, I was on fire. They had pressed the brand into my skin, and it was the most pain I had felt until that time.

"No sooner had they burned their precious mark into my skin but I was moved again. This time, I was pushed down by many hands atop a white table. It was the only white thing in the room other than the sheet they had wrapped around me. I could barely think because of the pain from the brand. It was raw and fresh, the only thing that my mind could focus on. I remember desperation. I called out for my parents, for God, for Tanaka. For anyone that might help me. None came. The people around me did not care. They laughed. The man over me continued his prayers and his cries were taken up by the crowd. I remember seeing the flash of a knife and then nothing. There was pain. There was blood. There was darkness. And then there was you. That is all."

The words drifted into silence. That was the first time that Ciel had ever given so much detail. He had never before told Sebastian the entirety of what had happened that night, or in the month before.

Silently, Sebastian wondered if perhaps Ciel had needed to say it, if only to get the memories out of his own mind. The words had been a steady flow that had seemed almost rehearsed. No matter how composed or mature Ciel Phantomhive might seem, those experiences had bothered him for a very long while. They also provided an answer to the question that plagued both boy and butler.

"Young master," Sebastian murmured, "I should have asked you for these details long ago."

"Why?" Ciel asked, not pulling his gaze away from the floor.

"You have just told me how it is possible for something to have claimed your soul before I came, even without your knowledge." Sebastian pulled his hand away from his master's as the boy finally looked at him. "When they marked you with their brand, when they tried to give your life in sacrifice, they gave away something that was not theirs to give. That is when your soul was claimed, though not by me. They made a gift of you to something that they could not possibly comprehend."

"And yet we are in a contract," Ciel said.

"A contract is an agreement between a demon and his master," Sebastian explained. "Simply because it exists does not guarantee its completion, no more than a handshake guarantees friendship. Many demons feed without contracts and many demons in contracts break them. The mark that I put on you binds you to me and vice versa. However, it is still nothing but an agreement. I had no knowledge that a previous claim had been made to your soul, and I had no reason to suspect any such claim had been made until today."

"Sebastian..."

"Yes, young master?"

"What happens now?" Ciel paused, his voice soft. "Will you still devour my soul?"

"Even I am uncertain as to what will happen, or precisely how to proceed," Sebastian replied. The demon watched the boy with dark eyes, contemplating the possibilities. "However, I abide by my agreements. You once ordered me to serve you as your butler until I devoured your soul. Until this matter is resolved, I remain ever your humble servant."

"Does my soul belong to you?" Ciel turned his face, looking directly at Sebastian with unreadable eyes.

Sebastian could not help the smallest upturning of his lips. "Not yet."

A day passed completely without incident. Ciel Phantomhive felt no differently than he had any day previously. The only real difference was the strange reality that he had become aware of the previous morning. Since then, Sebastian had made no further attempts to devour his soul. Neither had whatever dark being that had laid claim to his soul even before Sebastian had come to him.

Another reminder of the previous morning was the now-constant feel of the brand at his side. It burned, a prickling heat that was just enough to cause discomfort. Poultices and ice did not help, and the burning sensation became stronger any time that Sebastian was near. If Sebastian stood in the same room, it was noticeable. If he was changing the bandages over the mark itself, the sensation became downright painful. Even so, Sebastian had been careful not to touch the mark directly, not even while tending to his master.

Ciel watched the butler as he skillfully refilled his tea and collected the plates that had served to hold his breakfast. This was a morning like any other, and yet it felt entirely alien. It was strange to know that the man standing before him with such a pleasant look on his face had tried to bring an end to his existence only the day before. Stranger still, Ciel knew that Sebastian still desired to do so. That thought was not as disturbing as it should have been; Ciel had lived with that reality for three years. The only real question was how that particular end might come about with this new obstacle in the way.

Sebastian's hunger for his master's soul did not bother the boy, but something else did. Sipping lightly at the spiced black tea that Sebastian had prepared, Ciel could not help but wonder why the thing that had laid claim to his soul had not already eaten him itself. He did not even know what it was that had such a hold over him, and yet he could see no reason for it to wait. After all, it was not as though he had a contract with it or anything of the sort.

Considering the cup in his hand, Ciel decided to voice his concern. "Sebastian, why has it not eaten my soul? What is _it_?"

"I do not know what it is, young master," Sebastian said. He studied the boy for a long moment before replacing the tea kettle back onto the silver tea cart. "I also do not know why it has not acted on its claim. Even demons that enter contracts frequently break them to devour their prey early, unable to resist the temptation."

"You did not," Ciel said simply.

"No." Sebastian smiled. "I did not. I am rather unusual in that aspect."

"Unusual?"

"In that and other ways," the butler replied mysteriously. He retrieved the empty tea cup and saucer from his master. Ciel blinked at him. Sebastian rarely spoke of his own kind even when he was asked.

After a moment of silence, Ciel asked, "What would it take to get rid of it? Is it possible to do so?"

"Most probably yes. There are ways of getting rid of even the most resilient pests, though I confess that it would be easier to tell you what measures to take if we knew what this being was."

Ciel huffed. "Is there any way to find out?"

"There are many varieties of dark things in this world, young master. Some are lesser creatures, barely an annoyance. Some are far worse than even myself." Sebastian smiled cat-like at the boy in front of him as Ciel frowned. "It might be possible to learn of its identity, but I would not put an overly large amount of thought into the matter. We may never know its true nature even if we manage to dispose of it."

The response was not entirely unexpected, but Ciel found himself confused. "How can you get rid of something when you don't even know what it is?"

"There are a few solutions that work on many different things, young master. Humans do occasionally get things right," Sebastian told him. "Despite old wives takes, demons have no fear of crossing water. Throwing a handful of broom straws, a country superstition to distract both demons and fae, will do nothing but annoy me. However, baptism, exorcism, blessings and the like from a priest are enough to frighten off a number of creatures. While religion is perhaps not the most apt bastion of strength in this case, the rituals and motions might be the best way to rid yourself of whatever parasite has claimed your soul."

"I place no faith in God or religion, Sebastian."

"I am aware. I simply suggested that as one possible means to an end, young master," Sebastian said. "I only wished to inform you that these are some of the ways in which you may be able to loosen the grip that the parasite has on your soul. There are other methods, of course. Though, I must admit, there is one thing that I am curious about.

Ciel frowned further. "What is it?"

"I have never seen a human so readily willing to give up their soul," the butler remarked. "Even since the night that I first came to you. Why is that?"

The look that Ciel gave him was enough to deliver the answer; Ciel thought it was obvious. "Giving you my soul was part of the agreement. You served me without question for three years. You kept me alive and helped me to achieve revenge. I am a man of my word. I told you that if you did those things, you could devour my soul. I will do as I said. There is nothing more to it."

The look on Sebastian's face shifted almost imperceptibly. When Ciel glanced at him again, he found the demon looking at him with the same expression that had graced the man's face the day before. Soft eyes and a soft smile, both out of place on the face of a demon. It struck him then that Sebastian found some part of Ciel's faithfulness to their agreement endearing. The demon enjoyed his willingness to give up his soul. In the cold of the room, Ciel shivered.

"Do you want to die?" Sebastian's voice was surprisingly loud in the silence.

Ciel looked at Sebastian for a moment longer before he found it impossible to keep eye contact. Looking away, he replied, "No."

Sebastian stepped away from him. Ciel could not even remember him stepping close. Excusing himself momentarily, the butler removed the tea cart. He returned not a minute later. With breakfast and tea concluded, all that remained was to get dressed and address the day.

Ciel stood and let Sebastian unbutton his nightshirt. Putting his previous thoughts out of mind, Ciel asked, "What is on this morning's schedule?"

"There is paperwork to review for Funtom Company and minor expenses for the household that await your approval," Sebastian murmured, retrieving a fresh stack of clothing. He helped Ciel into a pair of undershorts. "However, there is nothing properly scheduled for today. I had not anticipated this particular situation."

"I see. You may continue to schedule appointments and lessons until we have found a solution for this problem. I do not wish to disrupt the appearance of normalcy in consideration of the rest of the staff." Ciel paused. "Though dance lessons are not necessary."

"As you wish, young master." Sebastian fell silent, appraising him. "I should change the bandages over the brand before we put on the rest of your clothing for the day."

From a pocket, Sebastian produced a small knife. He slid the blade between cloth and skin, shredding the fabric easily. The pain in the brand multiplied as Sebastian's hands neared it. Sebastian's eyes flicked to Ciel's face.

"Are you in pain, young master?" he asked.

"The mark burns."

Sebastian's eyes drifted down to the brand on his master's back. The flesh was reddened and slightly raised. Lifting his hand to his mouth, Sebastian tugged the glove off his right hand. Despite the obvious connection to the incident the day before, Sebastian's concern about the mark was much more mundane. Infection could kill as easily as anything supernatural. The skin around the mark was hot to the touch, hotter than even an infection would merit.

Studying the mark, Sebastian's fingers were light on the boy's skin as he traced the area around the brand. The instant that his fingers touched the edges of the mark, Ciel screamed. The sound was torn from his throat even as his small body trembled. The scream was cut off as quickly as it had begun as Ciel fell over, collapsing completely onto the bed.

Sebastian's reaction was instantaneous. Reaching for the boy, he shouted, "Young master!"

Footsteps approaching from the hall signified that the other servants had heard the scream. Outside of the bedroom door, MeyRin and Bard were both shouting. Sebastian glanced at the door for the smallest fraction of a second. When he looked back, Ciel was sitting up once more. Sebastian let out a sigh of relief. "Young master, are you all right?"

Ciel stared blankly at nothing for half a minute. Then, he turned his face towards Sebastian. When he did so, the butler pulled his hands away from his master and frowned darkly. Something was not right. The boy's normally bright, intelligent eyes looked cold and dead. Those were not the eyes of his young master.

Ciel's lips parted, but when he spoke it was not his voice. Instead, something deep, cold and rattling with the sound of age spat forth the words. "Sebastian Michaelis. I have waited three years to meet you, taker of what is mine."

_To be continued.  
><em>_~*  
><em>_Author's Note: _Thanks for the support, everybody! Sorry for occasional typos. They have always been my downfall.

Lovelymagic, if you're wanting to learn about UKISS, I posted a link to an introduction to them that I typed up on my profile here. I can't really send you messages or links here, so if you want to talk, please use Tumblr or my e-mail.


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

Sebastian Michaelis stared at the body of his young master. While the form was clearly that of Ciel Phantomhive, whatever consciousness was now speaking through his lips was not. Sebastian asked, "Who are you?"

"Send the servants away, demon," the voice hissed coldly, "and then we shall talk."

Half a second passed before Sebastian stood and crossed the room to face the door. Outside of the bedroom, he could hear MeyRin and Bard in the hall. They were both shouting their worries. Sliding the door open, he sent them away with the barest excuse of nothing being wrong. He waited long enough to make certain they had left and then turned to face the room. The door slid shut silently behind him as he paced towards the bed. He stared down at the young boy who was not what he seemed.

Sebastian rephrased his question. "What are you?"

"Many names have I, yet I have none. I existed before time and so I have no age. I am nothing and everything at once. I am the Beast. You should bow before me and tremble, demon," said the voice that was not Ciel. As it spoke, the boy's body trembled. Only his gaze remained steady. "Your creator was not even a whisper before I was born, and you not even a thought. Yet you, not even an infant in my eyes, believe that you can keep this boy from me by his very own will."

Sebastian's eyes were dark, his face dangerously neutral as he listened. He was unsettled by the recent turn of events. "What is it that you want from my young master?"

"His soul." The words were paper thin as they fell from the boy's lips, every bit as cold as ice. "While we may be different creatures, our appetites are not so dissimilar. I was the first to claim him. I wish only to enjoy my meal. This is something that even your kind should be able to comprehend."

"If you wished to devour him, Beast, you would most certainly have done so by now," Sebastian stated. "As it stands, I do not appreciate you defiling my young master's body with your presence."

Laughter like knives came from his master's body as the creature laughed. The sound was piercing and hollow, only the shadow of mirth. "Had I acted decisively and greedily devoured his soul in the moment between his earthly death and your own arrival, I might have," it agreed. Disgust colored every word. "However, I am willing to admit my mistakes. I did not follow my craving, and now I find myself in such a position that I must bargain with you... you, who calls itself a demon but who is no more powerful to me than an insect in a child's palm."

"Bargain?" Sebastian's frown darkened, uncomprehending.

"You and I both desire the same thing, I believe. We both hunger for this child's soul. Yet, we find ourselves at an impasse. Neither of us may have what we want without the other's consent, for I will not allow you to take his soul and you are incapable of destroying me. You also will not permit me to take his soul. This is a problematic situation, but not impossible. We can help each other and both have something we desire," the Beast purred.

"Forgive my bluntness, but if you are so powerful then why is it that you need my consent to take something that you claim is already yours?" Sebastian asked.

A wheezing sigh came from the Beast's lips. "Humans, despite their fragility, have power that even I cannot surpass."

Sebastian regarded it silently, not responding. Whatever this Beast was that had laid claim to his young master's soul and body, Sebastian could devise no way to confront it more directly. If it were any ordinary threat, knives or claws would have been more than ample to dispatch it. In this case, only the menacing look in his master's eyes and cold voice told Sebastian that this was not Ciel Phantomhive. Nothing else had changed. For all intents and purposes, Ciel still looked, smelled and felt the same. All of this talk of bargains and humans possessing power meant little to Sebastian, though he studied each word. There was only one meaning to be gleaned from all of this; the Beast was a threat.

When Sebastian did not respond, the Beast smiled, drawing pale lips into a sweet expression that the boy himself would never have worn. "Your contract is, in its own way, a lie. It does not guarantee you his soul. After all, his soul was never yours to take. It is a sort of petty illusion, guaranteeing you nothing more or less than your own ability to follow him if he were ever to flee. This is true?"

"More or less," Sebastian allowed. "The details are not so imprecise. It is the same for all demons."

"He does not believe so. In fact, so honest is his fervent belief that his soul and his very existence belong to you that... to some minor extent, it does," the Beast told him, turning the last of the words to a faint hiss. "Your kind work to seduce humans. You lure them into your confidence and endear them to me. You make them love and desire you so that they will not leave and take away your meal. In that, you have done well. Of all the many truths that Ciel Phantomhive holds dear, the most important is your own presence. You are the one constant in the turbulence of his existence. He is very attached to you, in more ways than one. Until you depart or otherwise destroy his confidence in you, I am unable to devour him. Moreover, by my own claim to him, you cannot prevail. We are at an impasse until a bargain may be met."

"It is a demon's nature to seduce humans, just as you have said. However, my young master is also correct," Sebastian said. He leaned almost imperceptibly towards the body of the boy that sat on the bed. "I will not leave his side. I am afraid there is no bargain that you could offer that I would be tempted to accept. The only thing that I desire is my young master. I do not intend to surrender any part of him, body or soul. Leave and find easier prey elsewhere."

At that, the Beast burst into a fit of hideous cackling. He laughed so hard that his body fell back onto the blankets, shaking with the effort. Sebastian watched in silence. The laughter cut off suddenly and the creature sat up once more, smiling brightly. The effect was unsettling. "What right do you think you have, asking _me_ to do anything?"

"I have every right so long as you continue to pollute my young master's body. Leave, or be destroyed," Sebastian told the Beast. His eyes glowed with the threat behind the words. "I will not allow you to continue to defile his body with your presence."

"Alas, it would seem that the diplomatic route has failed. Next time, things shall not be pleasant," the Beast told him. Tilting its head slightly, it continued. "I will destroy the bond between the two of you and take my prize without your consent. There is something that you should know, however. Something that even you, who spends nearly every waking moment by his side, do not know."

"What might that be?"

"This child, your +master, is not nearly as ignorant of you as you might like to believe." The words were a colorless hiss, sliding easily from Ciel's lips as the Beast taunted Sebastian with a smile. "By your very own doing, you have already begun what I intend to finish. Ciel Phantomhive has begun to hate you, Sebastian Michaelis. That hatred will tear you both to pieces."

As soon as the words left his lips, Ciel's body collapsed on the blankets. Sebastian bent over him immediately, reaching out for him. As his gloved hands touched the boy's shoulder, blue eyes fluttered open. Sebastian let out an audible sigh of relief as Ciel breathed his name. This was his master, not the creature that violated his body.

With Sebastian's help, Ciel sat up. For a long moment, all that he did was breath. The room was completely silent until he spoke, his voice rough. "What happened?"

"I now know why I was unable to devour your soul, young master," Sebastian replied, kneeling beside the bed. "You were possessed by the thing that has laid claim to your soul."

Ciel looked up at him sharply. "Possessed?"

"Yes. It temporarily took over your body."

"Exactly what happened, Sebastian?" Ciel asked as he watched the butler.

Sebastian returned his gaze evenly. "You collapsed, young master. When you woke, it was not you with whom I was speaking. A creature calling itself the Beast told me, using your mouth, that it had laid claim to your soul before I came to you. According to what it told me, it is very old and believed that it would be... polite to speak to me rather than simply doing what it wished. It wishes to devour you."

"Then why has it not done so?"

Sebastian watched his master's face carefully, judging his reactions. "It seems to believe that your own mental and emotional attachment to me has prevented it from achieving what it wishes. Likewise, I am unable to devour your soul because of the claim that it has staked." Sebastian paused, waiting to see his what his master would do. He waited for his words to leave the boy's mouth, the denial of any attachment. He expected it to come. After all, Sebastian was nothing more than a chess piece to the game master. He was a pawn to be used to the best advantage.

No denial came. Instead, Ciel pressed a palm to his face, covering the seal in his right eye. The expression on his face made it clear that he was utterly disgusted by the thought of what had happened. "It was using my body?"

"Yes, young master."

For a long moment, the two of them sat in silence, neither one moving. Taking a deep breath, Ciel asked, "Is this... Beast powerful?"

"It seemed to believe so."

"Was it correct?"

"I am uncertain," Sebastian admitted. "I cannot detect its presence aside from the incident of possession, which suggests that it is strong enough to hide itself. However, if it were as powerful as it had claimed, I do not see why it would be unable to overcome your resistance in order to do as it pleases."

"Get rid of it," Ciel whispered harshly, the hand in his hair tightening. His knuckles were white. "I want it gone."

"There are certainly avenues that we might try, young master," Sebastian murmured.

"You mentioned that. Baptism, exorcism, and blessings from a priest, right? Are there any other options?" Ciel looked up at him then, his eyes piercing as he regarded the demon. "Can _you_ do it? Can you get rid of it?"

"Young master, anything you that order me to do, I will do," Sebastian allowed, regarding him gently. "However, I fear that I may be of little use in this case. The Beast has no body for me to destroy other than you own, to my present knowledge. I have no desire to kill you simply to destroy a pest. Prayers and passages from a bible would likely be useless when spoken from my lips. I fear that we must consider other options. Though, I will admit, I do not enjoy placing your well-being in the hands of others.

"Unfortunately, many of the options presently available are also dangerous to humans. At least, that is my general understanding of these things. I cannot say that I have ever been subjected to the processes that you may have to undergo to get rid of your unwanted guest. While I agree that we must dispose of the creature, I cannot agree to anything that might place you at risk simply to destroy a pest."

Leaning back, Ciel thought about what the butler had told him. Slowly, he asked, "Are there options outside of the church that we might pursue, ones which might pose less of a threat to me?"

"There are more traditional beliefs that have been practiced in the shadows of your country for far longer than even the Church an remember," Sebastian told him, voice low. "And, of course, the Spiritualism movement holds dear everything unearthly, though its followers do not comprehend what they are dealing with. You may find these to be helpful if you wish to avoid the path of a more organized religion."

Ciel sighed heavily and stared at the sunlight that filtered through the windows. None of the options available appealed to him. While he did not have an inherent dislike of religion, he put no faith in gods and superstition. None of those things concerned him in the slightest. His fate was sealed. Then, a thought occurred to him. "Sebastian, what effect will this have on you? If I have this... creature taken care of, will it injure you?"

"It would be unlikely to do any real damage," Sebastian replied.

Ciel stared at him, sensing more to the statement. Clarifying, he asked once more. "Sebastian, you are being vague. Answer me clearly. Is it possible that trying to get rid of the creature would do damage to more than just the Beast?"

"Yes." Sebastian stood, though he did not move away. "There is a chance that I or the contract might be damaged. I cannot say for certain without further information. However, I feel the need to remind you that it would not be the first time that I have been injured in your service, young master."

"How is it possible to damage the contract? You said it was just an agreement, right? How can it be damaged?"

Very simply, Sebastian replied, "It is possible."

Ciel Phantomhive watched the demon for a long moment, studying Sebastian's face in the morning light that shone through the windows of his room. Finally, he looked away. "Finish bandaging me and dressing me. I will have to think about how to proceed. I will decide by tonight."

"As you wish."

Morning turned into afternoon, and afternoon into evening, entirely without incident. The day passed much as any other day with no visible changes. Even though he had no lessons to attend to or and work for the Funtom Company had been minimal, Ciel felt exhausted. He finished his duties in the office without complaint. Dinner was eaten in silence. When Sebastian led the way to his quarters, Ciel barely registered the fact that MeyRin had wished him a good night. For the first time in a very long while, Ciel Phantomhive was having trouble processing everything that occupied his thoughts. His mind felt full in a way that he had never experienced before.

Possession.

He had heard that word used several times in his life with that particular connotation. It was what people said afflicted some individuals who were simply insane. It was also such considered the primary territory of demons; if you would believe the reality of dealing with such beings. Ciel's eyes flicked towards Sebastian as the butler the way down the hall towards the master bedroom. Theirs was a strange partnership one that should have already been concluded. According to Sebastian, the Beast believe that Ciel's attachment to the demonic butler was preventing it from devouring his soul. The attachment that the earl felt for hit the butler was a mystery even to him. He knew only that Sebastian had sworn to never leave his side or betray him. After the time that he had spent with Sebastian, he knew that the demon was something to which he grown accustomed. He trusted Sebastian. It was something that he expected. On some level, one he did not care to examine in detail, he enjoyed Sebastian's presence. Or, perhaps, that was something that he did not want to think about more than he could help.

The bond that he had with Sebastian was no more than just an agreement and a seal on his eye. Regardless of what Sebastian had said of their contract, Ciel knew that much. If you need it Sebastian enough, or if you purposefully tried to summon him, Sebastian would come to decide once. That was to whether or not Ciel had spoken the words aloud. That was a fact.

While he was quite certain the Sebastian could not read his thoughts, the same could not be said of the Beast. After all, Sebastian had never been inside of his head. It was possible, Ciel realized, that the Beast was listening to his examination of the man in front of him. The Beast was privy to his most private thoughts. That particular realization was chilling. As the two of them walked into the bedroom, Ciel shivered. For the briefest moment, he thought that he could hear the echoes of laughter. The sounds ceased nearly as soon as he had noticed it.

Once inside a sealed chambers, Sebastian lit two oil lamps. He placed one on the sideboard nearest the door, and then carry the second over to his master's nightstand. Moving carefully, he untied the eye patch and placed both the patch and his master's rings on the stand beside the bed. Ciel looked at them for only a moment, silently admiring the way the election oil lamp caught the middle then, he turned and followed Sebastian is the butler silently led the way from the bedchamber into the bathroom.

Once again, Sebastian lit to lamps. The difference from the bedroom with startling is the soft light bounce off the walls, making the room surprisingly bright. Ciel squinted at the brightness for a moment. Then, he watched without really seeing a Sebastian drew the bath. The butler moved smoothly, pouring hot water from pails into the tub and tempering it was cold water from the tap.

Even though the terms of the contract have been met, Sebastian had kept his word. He had neither attempted to take Ciel soul nor cease to serve as his butler. It was as though Ciel's idea of prevention never been achieved. Sebastian do not behave any differently, even though some part of Ciel's mind had expected him to do so. After all, what did Sebastian gain from going through mundane routines such as this? He was already guaranteed his master's soul. Ciel found it hard to believe that creatures such as the demon might actually _enjoy_ doing things like…

Ciel jumped, shouting and stepping backward as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up, he found Sebastian watching him. The butler had one eyebrow raised quizzically. "Young master?"

"It's all right. You just… startled me," Ciel said. He looked away, unable to meet Sebastian's direct gaze. Even out of the corner of his eye, he watched the motions as Sebastian began to unfasten his shirt. The fabric pull of his skin while the man worked. Blue eyes drifted down to watch a slender fingers worked on the shirt's fastenings. Sebastian had already removed his gloves. Black-tipped fingers moved easily down a lot of buttons. Every motion was smooth and practiced, deceptively artful as he worked.

Inexplicably, the graceful movements of those hands seem to take on a menacing quality for Ciel. It was all too easy for him to picture those very hands taking his life. With only a subtle movement, Sebastian could easily break his neck instead of removing his cravat. On the occasions when the butler had carried him to bed, how easy it would be the man to crush him in his arms. Bones were brittle and Sebastian was immeasurably strong. Even in the bathroom, as the demon knelt before him and addressed him for about, those fingers could so easily slip and pierce his skin. Though in the nails on Sebastian's hands were dull and harmless, economics feel the edges a sharp claws against the skin of his stomach. He trembled. At the tremors, Sebastian looked up at him questioningly but said nothing. The butler said the boys clothing aside and helped him to the bath.

The sounds of the water lapping at the side of the tub captured Ciel's ears as he tried to relax. His back, Sebastian's hands rub soothing circles on his skin with a washcloth. Ciel was certain that the butler could tell just how uneasy he felt, as though his stomach might sour. The slow, measured strokes over his skin were obviously intended to try and calm him down even as they cleaned him. Ciel tried not to focus on the butler, staring instead of his own faint reflection in the water. All shows the lamplight across the water, creating a rhythm that seem to match his thoughts. His mind no longer dwelled on the inherent danger of keeping a demon at his side. The fear itself had been irrational, Ciel had never actually found himself afraid of Sebastian. Even so, he had no idea where the butler would think it necessary to try to sue them. The warm hand on his back kept pulling him away from the things that truly bothered him; the creature that had claimed him even before his butler. The Beast.

"Sit back please, young master," Sebastian said, his voice soft. Ciel did as he was asked, leaning his head back against the porcelain tub and closing his eyes. Sebastian's hand over his face blocked his eyes as water was poured through his hair. Sebastian pulled him forward slightly, reaching up to rub soap through the darkened strands of his master's locks. Sebastian allowed the soap to sit for a moment before he once again covered the boy's eyes and rinsed his hair. His fingers worked gently across his master's scalp. When he had finished and picked up the washcloth to finish cleaning Ciel's body, the boy stared at the water once more. Droplets from the hair that had fallen across his face broke the smooth surface of the bath.

The air in the bathroom always smelled like lavender and lemons, the scent of French-milled soap mixing together with whatever it was that MeyRin used to clean. With his hair freshly washed, the aroma was stronger than usual. Something about it was wrong, though. Ciel sniffed, trying to figure out what the problem was. "Sebastian, do you smell something burning?"

If Sebastian answered, Ciel did not hear the response. At that moment, he looked down and saw the reflection in the bathwater. Flames. The mansion was burning. Ciel screamed as pieces of the ceiling came tumbling down, crashing all around him. All-consuming smoke and black flames were everywhere that he looked. They licked at his fingers as he tried to scrabble out of the tub. Ash clouded the air, flying down his throat as he tried to breath. Ciel choked, coughing without being able to pull in a new breath. Plaster blocks the size of cider barrels fell from the ceiling, cracking into the floor as the house began to fall apart. Ciel struggled, fighting against the water and slipping on the porcelain of the tub as he tried to get out of the bath.

Ciel looked to Sebastian for help, shouting the butler's name. Instead of his butler, however, there was a demon. A monster. Smooth, black leather and sharp heels added to the otherworldly feel of the creature that stood before him. Black feathers filled the air, twining with ash and turning the entire world to darkness. This was not Sebastian. This was a true devil, an incarnation of evil that would tear him apart and eat him without a second thought. Murder, blood, and gluttony dripped from its lips as it whispered Ciel's name and reached out for him. Glowing red eyes focused on him even as Ciel stumbled backwards, falling in his effort to get away from the monster. He had to escape. He had to run. He had to-

Sebastian's hands fastened firmly around Ciel's arms, pulling him out of the tub. The instant that the butler's fingers touched skin, everything stopped. The house was not burning. The air did not smell of cinders and flame. Ciel struggled for a moment longer before realizing that he could not pull himself out of the grip that held him.

Startled, terrified, and shocked, he looked up at Sebastian. The butler was holding him halfway out of the tub, rested against his own chest. There were no glowing eyes, or sharp teeth waiting for him in the face that looked down at him. Instead, there was only concern. Sebastian's eyes were a deep brown, not red. He wore a dress shirt and waistcoat. His shoes were surely no more sharply heeled than Ciel's own daily pair. This was his butler. This was a demon, yes, but one that Ciel knew and trusted. Sebastian would not hurt him.

Even though Ciel knew that the butler was not a threat, the illusion that he had woken from clung to the edges of his mind. Ciel was afraid. Struggling backwards in the tub, he shouted loudly, "Let me go!"

"Young master," Sebastian, said, his voice even, "you are going to hurt yourself. You must calm."

"You were trying to kill me!" Ciel shouted, fighting as best he could when Sebastian reached for him once more.

Sebastian's hands tightened around his master's body, lifting him out of the water despite the struggle. "Young master, I am not trying to kill you. I am trying to help you. Please calm down and stop trying to injure yourself."

"You're a demon!" Ciel's hands fisted against the man's chest, beating hard to try and drive him away. "You were going to-"

"I will not harm you." Sebastian's voice was firm but gentle. He kept his hold on the boy as he sat down on the floor and pulled the teen against his chest to get a better hold on him. "Young master, I do not know what just happened. Regardless of what may have occurred over the past few days, I have no desire to see you come to harm. Nor do I have any desire to see you try to drown yourself or dash your head on the tiles, no matter how much you seem to think that it might help the situation. Please, calm down."

In his chest, Ciel's heart beat a mile a minute. Slowly, he stopped struggling against the arms that held him. His breath came in heavy pants. Minutes passed before he was collected enough to still completely. Water dripped from his skin, the sound dimming the silence around them. Sebastian's presence no longer seemed threatening. The butler was still patiently holding him half-seated in his lap as he knelt beside the bathtub.

As their position registered, Ciel realized that Sebastian was holding him. That thought did not bother him, though it should have caused some measure of embarrassment. The position itself was not what had caught his notice. Instead, Ciel felt Sebastian's hand. The butler's arm was wrapped around him to hold him still. His hand was pressed directly over the brand, and yet the brand did not hurt. In fact, it felt quite cool. "Sebastian..."

The hands that held Ciel in place loosened as Sebastian sat back slightly, looking down at the boy in his lap. "Would you care to tell me what that was all about, young master?"

"I thought... the house was burning. I could see it burning and falling apart," Ciel said, not looking at him. "When I turned to you, you were... the way you were when I first met you. You were trying to kill me. You _wanted_ to kill me."

Sebastian watched him carefully, frowning when Ciel shivered in his arms. He could feel the heat of the boy's body even through the damp material of his suit. "You saw all of this just now?"

"Yes."

Slowly, Ciel turned his face to look up at Sebastian. Every muscle in his body tensed as he did so, expecting to see the sharp, hungry features of the devil from his waking nightmare. Instead, the only thing that he could see was Sebastian. The butler's face was colored with concern, worry clear in his expression.

Ciel studied the unexpectedly soft eyes, fighting the temptation to look away. That look reminded him forcibly of the garden when Sebastian had tried to take his soul. They reminded him of the soft eyes and soft lips caressing his own before the end. The last thing he needed to think about was the kiss that he had not yet addressed. He felt dizzy and confused. His mind had gone from fear and hatred to confusion to thoughts of such things as the garden in the space of only a few moments. He could not understand.

Sebastian looked away. "I do not know what you might have seen, though I could theorize as to the why. However, know that I will not harm you or devour your soul until the current matter is resolved. All things considered, this incident is probably related." Sebastian paused. "We should bandage your brand before you go to bed, young master. Since it was hurting you badly earlier, it must be worse after all that fuss."

"It doesn't hurt right now," Ciel murmured.

"Oh?"

"It usually hurts when you're in the room, but the pain goes away when you're not there," Ciel said, "but it isn't hurting right now."

"You did not tell me this, young master," Sebastian said disapprovingly.

Ciel shrugged and looked away. "I didn't think it mattered."

Sebastian sighed, the tone of it clearly questioning the logic in not mentioning something such as that. After a long moment, he said, "We should get you dried off and dressed for bed, young master."

Ciel nodded. Then, he realized that he was still seated in Sebastian's lap. Not only was he naked, but both he and Sebastian were soaked through with water. Sebastian did not complain. He simply helped his master to stand and then reached for a towel. Too tired to protest, Ciel simply stood on the tile floor while Sebastian dried him off. Then the butler toweled himself off so as not to drip on the bedroom floor. Wrapped in a towel, Ciel let himself be escorted to the bedroom where he was quickly dressed in a nightshirt and tucked into bed.

Putting out the lamps in the bathroom and bedroom, Sebastian made quick work of cleaning up the water in the bathroom. He lit a candle to take with him. Walking to the side of the bed, the butler pulled the covers a little higher over his master.

"Rest well, young master," he said. "I will return in the morning."

Sebastian turned and walked towards the door. Very quietly, Ciel murmured, "Sebastian, wait."

"Yes, young master?"

"In the morning, you can arrange for a priest or someone to that effect. I don't want to deal with this any longer than I absolutely must," Ciel said, exhaustion evident in his voice. The words were heavy, a weight in the air.

"Very well. I will see that it is done," Sebastian allowed. Turning once more, he walked to the door.

"Sebastian."

The demon turned once more. "Yes, young master?"

"Stay here," Ciel muttered, "by my bed."

"My clothes are damp. I wouldn't want to damage th-"

"Just stay."

"As you wish," Sebastian replied quietly. He pulled up a chair and sat next to his master's bed. With once last glance towards the boy, he blew out the candle in his hand. Light extinguished, he placed the candlestick on the stand beside the bed. With only the moonlight drifting through the windows of the room, Sebastian watched the boy that lay only a few feet away.

The silence was as deep as the shadows in the room as Sebastian considered what he had witnessed only moments before. His young master had been unusually quiet and withdrawn, staring at nothing throughout his bath. He had asked Sebastian if the demon could smell something burning. Then, it was as though he had been seized by madness. Sebastian had watched as Ciel had screamed in a way the butler had never heard before. Those screams had been true terror, echoed through the room as he tried to escape whatever hallucinations had plagued him.

In his effort to evade whatever unseen attacker had terrified him, the boy had pushed himself under the water and tried to throw himself at the stone floor of the bathroom Sebastian had felt a twinge of fear for his master as he had reached out to grab the boy. That fear had doubled when the boy's screams had only intensified at Sebastian's own touch. It was a situation that, at the time, Sebastian had not been able to comprehend. The situation had been out of his control. That thought unnerved him nearly as much as his master's pitiful struggles had. Regardless of the current situation, Ciel Phantomhive had no reason to fear his demon.

In his three years of service to the earl, Sebastian had done everything in his power to instill an unshakeable trust between them. His master would never question his loyalty. He would never need to fear him or his actions. And yet, that very night, Ciel had been terrified of him. Terror was a pale description for the look that had been on the boy's face. Ciel Phantomhive had truly believed that Sebastian had tried to kill him.

The expression of Sebastian's face darkened as he thought about the fact. Fear was the last thing that he wanted his master to feel, and never because of himself. The Beast had known that much. Ciel Phantomhive was not a child that was easily frightened. In Sebastian's consideration, the boy was hardly a child at all. The fact that he had witnessed such a blatant display of fear from his master was disturbing. Even though he did not know the details of the vision that Ciel had seen, Sebastian knew the reasons for it. The Beast.

In his mind, Sebastian reviewed the conversation he had held with the abomination. The Beast had told him that his master was not as ignorant of Sebastian as he would like to believe. The creature had also told him that his master was beginning to hate him.

Sebastian had never once supposed his master to be ignorant. Uninformed, perhaps, at Sebastian's own choosing. More than once, the demon had withheld information about a person or situation. When it had little bearing on his master, there was no need. Privacy and discretion were vital parts of being an excellent butler.

The subject of hatred was another matter altogether. Sebastian looked at the shape of the young boy sleeping peacefully only a few feet away. His fine features betrayed none of the fright from earlier. Mouth slightly open and hair drifting across his forehead, he looked like a china doll.

Until the incident in the bathroom, Sebastian had never considered the possibility that Ciel might harbor any sort of animosity towards him. To a very strong extent, Sebastian still considered it ridiculous. If his master truly relied on him, trusted him, and needed him the way that Sebastian thought the boy did then what he had just witnessed was impossible. No illusion should have been able to drive the fear of him into Ciel Phantomhive the way that he had just witnessed.

Demons, by their nature, seduced humans. Though sexual seduction often followed, that was not the goal. Ultimately, a complete seduction of the mind was what they desired. Humans would cling so easily to anything that could offer them comfort. That was true even if the comfort that was offered was an illusion. A demon would earn their trust, love, and admiration. Then, and only then, could they be certain that their prey was truly theirs. The seal of a contract would allow a demon to track down their prey if the target fled. By making the prey dependent on them, they eliminated the need for a chase entirely. When their master desired their presence, desired the demon itself, that demon was assured their meal in a way even their own seal could guarantee.

Sebastian did not believe that Ciel Phantomhive hated him. By all appearances, the boy was completely dependent on his butler. He could not even dress himself properly without Sebastian's assistance. Despite himself, Sebastian found himself smiling at the thought. Over the course of their contract, he had become rather fond of his little master. No other human had ever managed to surprise him the way that his master could. The dependence that Ciel placed on him had caught Sebastian off guard more than once. What sort of foolish human became surprised or worried if their pawn, their willing slave, was injured? Ciel was aware that Sebastian was nearly impossible to kill. By all accounts, to his master's understanding, Sebastian was immortal. Yet, Sebastian had watched on several occasions as the boy had cried out for him or expressed fear for him when he had been injured in the natural progression of a fight.

That care and concern confused Sebastian. On one level, he was greatly pleased. However, now more than ever, he was aware of what he should be to an earl who served the Queen. Sebastian should have been nothing more or less than a pawn to be used. He was a tool, one that Ciel Phantomhive could use to achieve his goals. There was no reason that the boy should care about Sebastian in any sense.

In the darkness, Ciel turned on the bed and flopped one arm out of the covers. Sebastian's eyes drifted over the boy's fine features in the darkness. Just as demons wished for the loyalty and faith of their master, so Sebastian was equally faithful to his master in turn. He did not appreciate the fact that something other than himself had dared to lay claim to the boy's soul. Adding insult to injury, it had gone so far as to use his master's body like a puppet.

Sebastian knew that it would be difficult to fight something that could not be seen. Difficult, but not impossible. The fact that the creature could use Ciel's own mind to torture him was absolutely unacceptable. Sebastian had never cared to see his master injured, though he had allowed it on occasion to facilitate teaching a lesson. He took his duties to the boy very seriously. To know that he had been unable to prevent the earlier problems was problematic. Sebastian would not permit anyone to claim the boy as their own.

Reaching out across the bed, Sebastian brushed several slate strands of hair from Ciel's face. In his sleep, Ciel frowned and then let out a sigh. Sebastian smiled. Speaking to no one in particular, he whispered, "He is mine."

_To be continued..._


End file.
